Daily Requirements

I have heard that a family of four can be kept fed 365 days a year using only 8 square metres of land. Is this really possible anywhere in the world? Could it really take only 2 hours a week as was suggested and what would be on the menu?

Opinions differ. There may be no definitive answer until somebody measures the output from 8 square metres of land - an experiment which is of necessity almost certainly going on in many poor countries - Ed

Energy flow is a key issue. The sun's intensity at the Earth's surface depends on latitude and season. The average value over a 24-hour period across the whole of the Earth's surface is about 300 watts per square metre. Therefore each day, a 1-metre-square plot receives an average of about 26 megajoules of energy - more close to the equator. The recommended dietary intake ...

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